


The New Beginning

by Terrygo



Category: Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 18:25:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15802119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Terrygo/pseuds/Terrygo
Summary: Madges thoughts at the start of her adventure





	The New Beginning

Was this a wise move Madge thought at night on the train to her new home, giving up everything she had known for years and going to a relatively strange country. What if it didn’t work, how was she going to support Joey then? She sighed quietly, mindful of the others sleeping, it was a huge responsibility for someone only 24 years old. True she had been more or less a mother to Joey for many years now but that was in England where she knew people, she knew how things were but where money would be an issue. She was instead going to a strange country with an uncertain potential income, was she really doing it, was she totally mad? She looked around the dim carriage, she was also responsible for Grizel, she wondered how that would work, would the girl settle down.

The days running up to the opening of the school seemed to fly, they were so busy, with hardly even time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.Dick leaving to return to India was another milestone and quite an emotional time for her, having him with her had been a real comfort, someone to bounce ideas off, to get things done. And now he was going back to India, thousands of miles away. True he had left before but that was in England, this time she was in a place new in many ways. How would she cope after he had gone, although she was the best organiser he was her twin, her security blanket.  
She stood with her arm around Joey as they waved him off on the first stage of his long journey. They wouldn’t really hear from him again until he was back in India, so many miles away. She felt Joey sob and fought back her own tears, mentally squared her shoulders and turned to face her next challenge.

It was the first day of term, she had slept badly and had risen early, now she stood sipping tea staring at the mountains but not really seeing them. The first real day of her new venture, would it take off, could she do it, did she have the experience. The school was mostly her responsibility, not possible without Theresa but Theresa had made it clear that she was not all that interested in the running of the school but would help all she could. She had needed to get away from her last job and had jumped at the chance to start again with Madge. After all, she had said, she had moved from France to England, this was just another move to her. Her main plan was that her niece, Simone was to be a pupil, getting, hopefully, an education that would not have been available to her. Would she get such an education, would any of her pupils, supposing she had pupils, Madge thought with a rueful smile.  
Joey was not an easy child, her health a continual worry, Madge hoped the clear fresh mountain air would help. She was an impulsive girl, well read, with strong views in some subjects, not known for her tact, nor caring for others, but that was partially down to her enforced upbringing. She was a kind girl certainly, and Madge hoped that her rough edges would be rubbed off by contact with others with different views and values. She could see that there was conflict between Joey and Grizel, both were at fault, but that was just how life was, you could not like everyone, but you could tolerate them.Madge decided that she would teach acceptance of others. She was an outsider, a foreigner here in Austria but had received nothing but respect and acceptance and she planned that to be part of her school culture. She laughed a little, hark at her, presuming her school had a future, it could so easily fall flat on its face.

It was nearly time for school to start and she went to meet her pupils. Some local girls were coming, she did have pupils, a start thanks to the kindness of local families. Would they turn up, a momentary pang of worry. Of course they will she told herself sharply, but there was still that little itch of doubt.As she waited there was a shout from Joey, it would be Joey, what was that, more pupils than she expected? She hurried to find out and could not help the wide smile of excitement, her school had started.


End file.
